Easy Baked Chicken is flavored perfectly with paprika, salt, and pepper, then baked to crisp and juicy perfection in just 45 minutes.
If you need a simple Weeknight Dinner, you can’t go wrong with this classic Chicken Recipe. It’s filling, delicious, quick to prep, and makes an easy base to add more flavors or incorporate into different dishes. Check out Baked Sweet & Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken or Baked Rosemary Chicken more easy and tasty chicken dinners!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Easy Baked Chicken Recipe
Baked Chicken is an easy recipe option when you’re not in the mood for a lot of hands-on cooking. It’s an unfussy meal idea that only takes a few minutes of work before you pop it in the oven. Plus, it makes eight pieces of chicken, so you can save some of the leftovers for another weeknight meal.
My Easy Baked Chicken recipe is all about simple, flavorful goodness. Picture juicy chicken thighs and legs, seasoned just right with paprika, salt, and pepper, then baked until golden and crispy. Brushed with melted butter for that extra yum factor, it’s comfort food at its finest—easy to make and oh-so-satisfying!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter: The melted butter serves as a flavorful coating for the chicken.
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt: Salt is essential for seasoning the chicken. If you don’t have kosher salt, you can use regular table salt, but adjust the amount as it may be saltier by volume.
- ½ teaspoon Paprika: Paprika adds a smoky flavor and a vibrant color to the chicken. If you want a spicier kick, you can use smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
- ¼ teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper provides a mild heat and earthy flavor to complement the other spices.
- 4 Chicken Thighs, Bone-in and Skin-on: Chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful, and cooking them with the bone-in and skin-on helps keep them moist and adds extra flavor. You can use boneless and skinless chicken breasts if that’s what is available or if you prefer white meat.
- 4 Chicken Legs: We use “skin-on” and “bone-in” chicken thighs along with chicken legs for this recipe. The bone keeps the meat moist and tender while it bakes. Meanwhile, the skin bakes into a perfectly crispy outer layer.
- Vegetable Oil Spray: This is used for greasing the baking dish to prevent sticking. You can also use olive oil or butter to grease the dish if preferred.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Baking Dish (9×13): A baking dish of appropriate size ensures the chicken pieces have enough space to cook evenly without overcrowding. Grease the dish with vegetable oil spray or butter to prevent sticking. You can also use parchment paper.
- Paper Towels: Patting the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning helps remove excess moisture, making sure that the skin crisps up nicely during baking. It also helps the seasoning adhere better to the chicken.
- Basting Brush: A basting brush is useful for spreading the melted butter or oil onto the chicken pieces. Make sure to brush the butter mixture generously over the chicken for maximum flavor and moisture.
- Instant-Read Thermometer: An instant-read meat thermometer is crucial for checking the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it reaches 165 degrees, indicating that it’s safely cooked through. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone for an accurate reading.
How to Make Baked Chicken
Time needed: 55 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees to ensure it’s hot and ready when you’re finished preparing the chicken.
- Prepare the Baking Dish
Grease a 9×13 baking dish with vegetable oil spray to prevent the chicken from sticking during baking.
- Dry Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs and legs dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, which helps ensure the skin crisps up nicely.
- Season the Chicken
Season the chicken pieces with kosher salt, paprika, and coarse ground black pepper, ensuring each piece is evenly coated with the spices.
- Brush with Butter
Using a basting brush, generously brush melted butter over the seasoned chicken pieces, ensuring they’re well coated.
- Bake the Chicken
Place the seasoned and buttered chicken pieces in the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the skin is crispy.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
Yes, you can partially prepare this dish ahead by seasoning the chicken and storing it covered in the refrigerator up to a day in advance. However, it’s best to brush the chicken with melted butter once again just before baking to ensure it stays moist and flavorful.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken
The chicken needs 45 minutes in the oven, which gives you plenty of time to whip up an easy side or two on the stove top for a complete meal. For a classic comfort food meal, serve the baked chicken with some Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese or Mashed Potatoes plus Sauteed Green Beans. You can also keep it really simple and healthy with a green salad and a side of Garlic Bread. For an easy, kid friendly dinner, serve it with french fries and homemade Ranch Dressing for dipping.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store Baked Chicken
Storing
After cooking, make sure you don’t leave this Easy Baked Chicken dinner at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you have leftovers, you can cover the dish in plastic wrap or put the chicken in an airtight container to store in the fridge. It can stay good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating Tips
If you freeze this delicious recipe for later, it’s easy to reheat so that it tastes perfectly fresh. Start by lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then place the frozen chicken in a single layer on the sheet. (There’s no need to defrost it.) Lay another piece of aluminum foil over the top of the chicken and put it in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes so that it can thaw and warm through.
Freezing
As long as you’ve sealed the chicken pieces in an airtight storage container, you can also freeze the recipe for up to 3 months.
How to Use Leftover Chicken
Another excellent thing about this Oven Baked Chicken Recipe is that you can easily incorporate the leftover chicken into a variety of dishes. Try slicing up the baked chicken into chunks for comfort food meals like Chicken Casserole or Chicken Noodle Soup. You can also make them into crispy chicken quesadillas with melty cheddar cheese, bell pepper, jalapeno, and any other quesadilla fillings that you like.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, but adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes as they will cook faster than bone-in, skin-on chicken.
For extra crispy skin, you can try patting the chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning and ensuring the skin is well-basted with melted butter before baking.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature, making sure it reaches 165ºF at the thickest part without touching the bone for safe consumption.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs , bone-in and skin-on
- 4 chicken legs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
- Pat the chicken dry well with paper towels.
- Season chicken with salt, paprika and black pepper.
- Brush the melted butter onto the chicken.
- Cook for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees and the skin is crispy.
Notes
- Click on the yield amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the Metric option next to Ingredients in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations on Baked Chicken
- Italian Baked Chicken: Try making this Baked Chicken recipe with classic Italian flavors. You can use additional seasonings like a blend of garlic powder, oregano, and parsley for traditional Italian seasoning. Brush the chicken with olive oil in place of butter. You can also sprinkle a layer of shredded Parmesan during the last few minutes of cooking to enjoy a light chicken Parmesan recipe.
- Tex-Mex Baked Chicken: Whether you want to use this Baked Chicken for taco meat or just want a Mexican blend of flavor, you can sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken pieces for a tasty, spicy dish.
- Additional Seasonings: There are many other simple seasoning options that you can try to bring some extra flavor to this recipe. Red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne are great for spicy chicken. You could also add ground mustard, rosemary, or onion powder. Another option is to add a tablespoon of brown sugar to give it a nice sweetness.
- Baked Chicken Breasts: You can also make this recipe with chicken breasts. Keep in mind that breast meat bakes faster, so you’ll need to check the internal temperature earlier to ensure the chicken breasts don’t burn.
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